this country is going down the tubes - a follow up

sorry to disappoint / please you, but unfortunately / fortunately i am not a racist bigot. my previous posting was an over-the-top summary of typical comments i had to endure from south african folk during the last month.

now... i'm probably wrong, but i can't help but think that for most white south africans the act of slander - especially the non-white issues: aids, corruption, world cup 2010, etc - is not so much concern, but an attempt to discredit the ruling majority on the world stage in a veiled attempt to hold onto their privilidged positions in society.

we are quick to point a finger and lay the blame, but most of us are slow to act. we don't want to give up our bmw's, our mansions, our maids, our garden boys, our quality of life that we have worked 'so hard' to achieve. even with regards to issues such as crime - issues that effect directly us - we are so busy protecting our interests and hoarding our wealth that we fail to see the difference we could be making.

the best way alleviate most crime (there will always be the exclusively criminal element) is to improve living conditions and eradicate poverty. unemployment, education, health-care, and lack of basic infrastructure, are all major factors in creating an environment that is ripe for crime.

there is no doubt that the government could be doing more (especially with regards to policing)... but there is also no doubt that the we, the wealthy people in priviledged positions could be doing more as well. i'm not saying you should throw away all worldly possessions and dive head-first into humanitarian activities... it is extremely difficult to turn your back on capitalism and become a do'er. but the fact is that financially, most of us are well off. this is where we are most able to make a contribution to society - however, it seems as if most of us are reluctant to let go of a small amount of money (it doesn't cost much to put a child through school in africa) for fear of sacrificing the even tiniest of comforts.

there are a number of initiatives in south africa that aim to improve infrastructure, educate kids, provide health care, etc that are in desperate need of support. we hide behind all sorts of excuses - corruption, fat-cat officials, missapropriated funds - as a reasons for not contributing. there are however a number of smaller organisations that have genuine intentions and can account for every cent that you contribute - in this way you can ensure that you are making a difference. and no difference is too small. there is no excuse.

the fact is that for the vast majority of south africans the country is not going down the tubes - life is looking up... and if we could pull our heads out of our asses for just a few minutes we would see that we are fortunate enough to be actively involved in probably one of the first ever non-violent revolutions in history. we can either help this process or hinder this process (just to be clear, setting up web pages to actively discredit anything south african is not helping) - it's time to make a choice.

you are where you are in life but for the grace of god.

"we must honestly admit that capitalism has often left a gulf between superfluous wealth and abject poverty, has created conditions permitting necessities to be taken from the many to give luxuries to the few, and has encouraged small hearted men to become cold and conscienceless so that, like dives before lazarus, they are unmoved by suffering, poverty-stricken humanity. the profit motive, when it is the sole basis of an economic system, encourages a cutthroat competition and selfish ambition that inspire men to be more i-centered than thou-centered." - dr martin luther king